Gap-Bridging Device for Train Platforms

ABSTRACT

A device for the essentially complete bridging of the gap between the car floor of a rail vehicle in the door area and the platform with a gap bridging plate for bridging the gap. The gap bridging plate is mounted to be movable in a linear, horizontal direction at least between a retracted position in which the gap is not bridged and the gap bridging plate essentially does not or only barely projects beyond the front edge of the platform or of the rail vehicle, and an extended position in which the gap is essentially completely bridged. The device is characterized in that the gap bridging plate is mounted movably on two guide rails, and the guide rails are designed as ball bearing linear guides or as roller linear guides.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates the field of bridging devices for platforms and in this respect not only to the field of bridging devices which are fastened to the platform but also to the field of bridging devices which are fastened to a rail vehicle in the door region. Specifically, the present invention relates to a device for substantially completely bridging the gap between the carriage floor of a rail vehicle in the door region and the platform, comprising a bridging plate for bridging the gap, wherein the bridging plate is mounted so as to be displaceable in a substantially linear horizontal direction at least between a withdrawn position, in which the gap is not bridged and the bridging plate substantially does not project, or projects only to a slight extent, beyond the front edge of the platform (in the case in which the bridging plate is fastened displaceably on the platform) or of the rail vehicle (in the case in which the bridging plate is fastened displaceably on the rail vehicle), and an extended position in which the gap is substantially completely bridged.

PRIOR ART

Bridging devices of the aforementioned type have been known for quite some time already. Thus, for example, EP 0913307 describes a device which is intended to be fastened to the rail vehicle. Here, a bridging plate is withdrawn from a slot below the door region with a substantially linear movement which has a slightly downward direction at the end, this being assisted by at least one lever which is articulated far below the region. However, such devices, and equally the similar devices intended for fastening to a platform, as described, for example, in JP 2204160, JP 2212257 or JP 2005225310, have the disadvantage that they require a relatively large amount of space below the region which is to be bridged. This is a major disadvantage in the case of fastening a bridging device to the platform because, in particular when a retrofitting operation is involved, consideration has to be given to the widely varying shapes of platform overhangs and since, particularly in the underground railroad sector, cabling systems are frequently provided, for example, below the platform overhangs and should not be affected by a subsequent installation of such a bridging device.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,579 also describes a bridging device which is intended to be fastened to a platform. It is proposed therein, inter aila, in one embodiment to mount the bridging plate via linear sliding bearings, resulting in a relatively low structural height of the device. A problem with this design is the fact that, when using linear sliding bearings, the bridging plates become jammed under the slightest loading and, in addition, very powerful motors are required for the drive mechanism owing to the high degree of friction encountered with the required heavy constructions of the bridging plate. Furthermore, given the play which is present when using linear sliding bearings, it is required to provide very precise balancing of the displacement in the direction of displacement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the object on which the invention is based is to provide an improved construction of a bridging device. The improvement is particularly aimed at a device for substantially completely bridging the gap between the carriage floor of a rail vehicle in the door region and the platform. This comprises using a bridging plate to bridge the gap, wherein the bridging plate is mounted so as to be displaceable in a linear horizontal direction at least between a withdrawn position, in which the gap is not bridged and the bridging plate substantially does not project, or projects only to a slight extent, beyond the front edge of the platform or the rail vehicle, and an extended position in which the gap is substantially completely bridged.

This object is achieved in that the bridging plate is displaceably mounted via at least two guide rails and the guide rails are designed as linear ball guides or as linear roller guides.

The essence of the invention therefore comprises mounting the covering plate with a purely linear sliding movement so as to make possible a small structural height of the overall bridging device. It has been found, surprisingly, that this aim is advantageously achieved by designing the rail guides as linear ball guides or as linear roller guides. On the one hand, these are, inter alia, very smooth-running and allow a drive with a comparatively small-sized motor, thereby making it possible to have a compact design. On the other hand, they are very directionally stable, with the result that there is no need for complicated balancing of the displacement process; in other words, it is possible for example to provide only one drive on one side, or else in the center if space allows. Furthermore, they can withstand a high degree of loading without their capacity to be displaced in a smooth-running manner being adversely affected in the process. The low degree of friction, in particular when achieved in combination with a toothed belt, additionally allows an extremely high speed of travel of the bridging plate (typically 200 mm/s), thus increasing safety on the one hand and significantly increasing comfort on the other hand, particularly during short halts in the railroad stations.

It is possible in principle for such a bridging device to be fastened either to the rail vehicle or to the platform. According to a preferred embodiment, the bridging plate is displaceably mounted on the platform.

A further preferred embodiment is characterized in that the guide rails comprise a lower stationary guide rail and an upper movable guide rail which is connected to the bridging plate, and in that for at least one guide rail, preferably for both guide rails, the upper guide rail is mounted with respect to the lower guide rail so as to be able to tilt slightly about a horizontal tilting axis arranged perpendicularly to the direction of displacement to such an extent that a force-actuated locking of the upper guide rail occurs when the bridging plate is subjected to loads from above having a minimum force within the range of a typical minimum weight force of passengers. This automatic locking leads to increased safety, since the bridging plate is mechanically immobilized when subjected to loading above a minimum force (typically about 100 N). When a linear ball guide or a linear roller guide is used, the degree of smooth running is so high that such a mechanism should be provided; moreover, the directional stability with a linear ball guide or linear roller guide is so high that this tiltable mounting arrangement should be provided expressly for design reasons. This is possible, for example, in that at least one spring element, preferably two spring elements offset in the direction of displacement, are arranged between the upper guide rail and the lower guide rail, wherein the spring elements are particularly preferably designed as spring plates. In one particularly simple design possibility, the lower guide rail has at least one longitudinal groove extending in the direction of displacement, and the upper guide rail has at least one horizontal rib engaging at least partially in this longitudinal groove, and the force-actuated locking occurs as a result of the rib canting over in the longitudinal groove. In other words, the width of the longitudinal groove is only insignificantly larger than the width of the rib. Preferably, the lower guide rail has two longitudinal grooves which are open to the side in the horizontal direction, and the upper guide rail has two ribs extending inwardly in the horizontal direction, wherein the ribs particularly each extend over at least half up to substantially the whole length of the upper guide rail, or the ribs are each arranged in two substantially terminal portions of the upper guide rail.

In addition to or as an alternative to the above-described virtually automatic locking through force actuation when the bridging plate is subjected to loading, it is possible to provide a locking device substantially intended specifically for that purpose in order to arrest the bridging plate in the extended or withdrawn position (and, if appropriate, even in other positions as well). Such a locking device can preferably be designed so as to be able to be triggered electromagnetically, and it particularly preferably has a manual unlocking facility for safety reasons. The locking device can, for example, engage via a locking rod in corresponding cutouts in or on the bridging plate in positions specifically intended for that purpose. On the other hand, the locking means preferably fixes the sliding step in a defined position (preferably in the retracted position) and, on the other hand, the locking device simultaneously reports this status to the control unit or to master systems (in one movement). It is also possible to carry out these two functions using two elements (one fixes the position, another signals the status); however, this frequently results in problems if both elements do not have the same status (sliding step fixed, but signal is not indicated; signal is indicated, but sliding step is mechanically not locked, etc.). This problem is avoided here in that both functions, locking and state report, are carried out with the same device.

According to one embodiment of such a force-actuated locking system, it is possible that the upper guide rail comprises a profiled region and an upper guide plate, which guide plate is fixedly connected to an upper guide insert which, together with a lower guide insert which is fastened to the lower guide rail, forms the linear ball guide or linear roller guide, and that the guide plate is tiltably connected to a horizontal portion of the profiled region via two spring plates which are offset in the direction of displacement.

A further preferred embodiment is characterized in that at least three, particularly preferably at least four, parallel guide rails are provided for a bridging plate.

In general, it proves to be advantageous if the bridging plate is driven via a toothed belt which is fastened by way of at least one drive to the bridging plate and/or to the upper guide rail (for example, by way of a driver), wherein the toothed belt is preferably fastened by its two ends to the bridging plate and/or to the upper guide rail and is coupled via at least one deflection pulley to a driving gearwheel of a stationary motor, and wherein, also preferably, the axis of the motor is arranged substantially horizontally and the shaft of the driving gearwheel, which shaft is preferably driven via a worm gear, is arranged vertically for example.

As has already been mentioned, the overall device preferably has a substantially box-shaped design and is intended either to be let into a recess in the platform or to be let into a recess in the region of the rail vehicle, or to be placed on the platform. Here, the structural height of the overall device is particularly preferably designed to be in the region of less than 70 mm, particularly preferably in the region of less than 55 mm.

Particularly when the device is intended to be fastened to the platform, the problem always arises of insulating the platform relative to the train. It then proves to be advantageous if the overall device has insulating coatings in the surface regions which are exposed to the passengers. Possible coatings here consist of plastics such as, for example, polyesters or polyamides, preferably as fiber-reinforced coatings, for example fiber-reinforced polyamide. It is also possible for the individual components which are exposed to the passengers to consist wholly of an insulating material, thus, for example, profiles or plates etc. of glass fiber-reinforced plastic (for example glass fiber-reinforced polyester). Thus, examples of possible materials or coatings are those obtainable from Fiberline Composites A/S, DK; Gatex Kunstoffbearbeitung GmbH, DE; or of the Durapol type, obtainable from von Roll Isola, FR. If the device is fastened to the railroad carriage, for example, insulation is not absolutely necessary.

A further embodiment of the invention is characterized in that it comprises a housing having a base, lateral side walls, a rear wall and a front wall, wherein the guide rails are arranged in this housing, and in that there is arranged a stationary cover plate arranged on the region facing the platform, or the rail vehicle in the case that the device is fastened to the rail vehicle, under which cover plate the bridging plate substantially comes to lie in the withdrawn position, and under which the bridging plate comes to lie in the extended position only by way of the rear edge region. In conjunction with such an embodiment, it proves advantageous to ensure that the sagging of the cover plate that results when it is subjected to loading is not capable of jamming the bridging plate. Correspondingly, it proves to be advantageous if sliding elements (rollers are also possible) are arranged in the rear edge region on the upper side of the bridging plate and slide on the downwardly directed face of the cover plate during the displacement of the bridging plate, wherein the sliding elements are particularly preferably designed as plastic strips or plastic ribs extending substantially over the whole width of the bridging plate.

It is preferable for only one drive to be arranged in such a device, and this drive acts only on a single guide rail, particularly preferably only on one of the two outermost guide rails. In order nevertheless to ensure balancing over the whole width, it is possible for means to be arranged which couple the movement of the driven guide rail to the movement of at least one further guide rail, particularly preferably the opposite outermost guide rail.

Further preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The invention will be illustrated in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a bridging device, wherein the cover is removed;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the region of a guide, wherein the bridging plate and the cover plate are omitted;

FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a bridging device;

FIG. 4 shows a vertical section perpendicular to the direction in which the platform extends, wherein the bridging plate is in the retracted state,

FIG. 5 shows a vertical section perpendicular to the direction in which the platform extends, wherein the bridging plate is in the extended state;

FIG. 6 shows a vertical section parallel to the direction in which the platform extends, through the region of a guide; and

FIG. 7 shows the upper guide rail, wherein in a) a perspective view from below is represented, in b) a vertical section perpendicular to the direction of displacement is represented, and in c) a vertical section parallel to the direction of displacement is represented.

WAYS OF IMPLEMENTING THE INVENTION

In the following, the invention will be illustrated in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the figures. It should be emphasized here that the exemplary embodiments indicated are intended to be used only to support and to demonstrate the possibility of implementing the invention and not to restrict the subject matter of the claims as are appended at the end.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a bridging device. The bridging device here comprises a bridging plate 1 which is mounted displaceably with respect to a housing 3. The housing 3 is either screwed tightly onto a platform or fastened to the rail vehicle. In other words, the proposed bridging device can either be used for bridging the gap by being fastened to the platform and being extended after the train has arrived or, alternatively, it can be used to bridge the gap between the platform and rail vehicle by being fastened in the door region of the rail vehicle and being extended in the direction of the platform after the end position of the train has been reached. The bridging device preferably finds utility with the housing being fastened to the platform. In this case, it is possible on the one hand for the housing to be tightly screwed onto the platform surface and for sloping portions to be provided in the edge region that slope down to the underlying level of the platform surface, thus preventing the possibility of passers-by tripping over. However, it is also possible as an alternative for the bridging device to be provided with a dedicated recess in the platform surface, into which recess the bridging device ideally fits so as to be completely flush with the surface. In both situations, it is advantageous or even crucial that the bridging device has a small structural height.

The housing 3 comprises a base 9, two side walls 7 and a rear wall 8. However, the side walls and rear wall are not absolutely necessary if the device is arranged, for example, in a recess in the platform. Furthermore, the housing can have a front wall 16. In addition, the housing has a cover plate 26, although this has been omitted in the perspective view shown in FIG. 1 in order to make it easier to see how the bridging plate 1 is suspended.

The bridging plate 1 is an elongate, generally rectangular metal plate which comprises a horizontal plate 15 and preferably a downwardly directed projection 2 which is arranged on the front edge. In other words, the bridging plate is virtually L-shaped, with the short leg being directed downwardly. This configuration has the additional advantage that the slot underneath when the bridging plate is in the retracted position is closed to the front. The bridging plate has an upper side 13 and an underside 14. The upper side 13 is intended to serve as a step surface for the passengers. The bridging plate is displaceably mounted on the stationary housing by, in this case, four guide rails. These four guide rails are arranged horizontally substantially perpendicular to the platform edge and comprise a lower guide rail 6, which is fastened to the housing and is stationary, and an upper guide rail 11 which is securely fastened to the bridging plate 1, specifically to the underside 14 of the bridging plate 1. It should be pointed out that FIG. 1 only completely shows the lower guide rail 6 which is represented on the far left. In the case of the two central guide rails, only the baseplate 10 (cf. further below) has been represented for illustration purposes, and on the far right the lower guide rail 6 has been fully omitted.

The bridging device additionally has a motor 4, which is ideally designed as an electric motor and is arranged only on one side in the region of the front edge of the housing. The motor can also be arranged in the center if space allows, this in fact even being preferred in terms of the uniformity of the movement. It must be emphasized in this connection that the proposed bridging device preferably finds utility in conjunction with so-called platform screen doors, that is to say screening devices having a height in the range from one meter to two meters for screening off the platform region from the track region, since the platform gate doors which are present in such constructions predetermine a clear definition of the position of the doors of the rail vehicle for entry and exit purposes. The invention can equally find utility in other platform barriers, thus for instance also in the case of platform barriers which are provided over the full height and therefore spatially divide the rail region completely from the platform region. In such constructions, the motor 4 is then advantageously positioned behind a wall element of the dividing construction between the platform and rail region or behind the part of the sliding door which remains when the door is open.

It can also be observed in FIG. 1 that two parallel sliding strips are arranged in the region of the rear edge on the upper side 13 of the bridging plate. These are plastic strips which ensure that it is not possible for strong frictional contact between the underside of the cover plate 26 and the upper side of the bridging plate to occur that would impede the displacement of the bridging plate. The fact is that the surface of the bridging plate is typically provided with an anti-slip and insulating coating 27, and it is unavoidable that the cover plate has to bridge a large distance between the two side walls 7 of the housing 3. It is thus quite readily possible, if a number of passengers are standing on the cover plate 26, in particular in the central region, for this cover plate 26 to sag considerably downward. In order to ensure in such a situation that the sliding friction between the surface of the bridging plate 1 and the underside of the cover plate 26 is as low as possible, the sliding strips 5 are provided. As has already been explained, these are plastic strips which are screwed tightly onto the upper side 13. The plastic may, for example, be Teflon or else other plastics such as polyethylenes, particularly UHMW-PE, thus for example UHMW-PE/PE-100, polyethylene as obtainable from Maagtechnic, CH, or Duragliss from PIUss & Co, CH. Moreover, the same function can be performed by providing small rollers instead of the sliding strips 5. A potential disadvantage with such rollers or balls is the fact that they are generally larger with regard to structural height and entail considerably more outlay in terms of construction.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the region of a guide, wherein the cover plate is again omitted along, in this case, with the bridging plate 1 so as to make it easier to see the suspension arrangement. Likewise not shown is the toothed belt, the function of which will be explained further below. It can be observed in this representation that the housing 3 has not only a base 9 and side walls 3, but preferably also a front wall 16 to prevent contamination, etc. The side walls 7 are normally provided at their upper edge with an inwardly directed flange in which holes 18 for fastening the cover plate 26 are provided. Furthermore, for the purpose of fastening the motor, the housing has a lateral projection to which is fastened a fastening plate 17 which can have an L-shaped design for example, as in FIG. 2. This fastening plate 17 is preferably designed in such a way that the motor 4 fastened thereto can be fastened in various positions in a direction substantially parallel to the platform front edge. Thus, it is possible to adjust the tension of the toothed belt. Furthermore, it may prove to be advantageous to provide a spring force so as to automatically tension the toothed belt.

It can be observed in FIG. 2 that the upper guide rail 11 is designed as a virtually downwardly directed U-shaped profile, wherein inwardly directed horizontal ribs 42 are additionally arranged on the two downwardly directed legs. Furthermore, this U-shaped profile is reinforced on both sides by L-shaped reinforcing profiles 39. These reinforcing profiles are welded, for example, to the U-profile and increase the loading capacity of the guide rail. The function of the two inwardly directed horizontal ribs 42 will be explained in detail further below.

The upper guide rail 11 moves together with the bridging plate 1. Accordingly, the drive is provided such that a toothed belt (not shown) is securely fastened to the upper guide rail via a front driver 19, then guided around the deflection pulley 21 for the toothed belt that is securely articulated on the housing 3, then to the left toward and around the driving gearwheel (not visible) of the motor 4, back in the direction of the upper guide rail, around the rear deflection pulley 22 for the toothed belt and then to the rear driver 20, to which the other end of the toothed belt is likewise connected to the upper guide rail. The use of a toothed belt allows a highly robust, reliable and yet powerful coupling of the motor 4 to the upper guide rail 11. It is evident from the above-described guiding of the toothed belt that displacing the fastening plate 17 parallel to the platform edge can be used to adjust the tension of the toothed belt. As has already been explained, the motor is preferably an electric motor; for example, in the proposed arrangement at the front edge with a slight lateral offset, said motor can be connected very simply to the control system or power supply in a stationary wall part of a platform screen. The motor in this case has a worm drive 24 by means of which the power produced on the horizontally arranged shaft of the motor can be transmitted to a vertically arranged shaft 23 for the driving gearwheel.

On the right side of the upper guide rail is represented a pair of deflection pulleys 25 for cross-balancing. It is possible by means of these pulleys, particularly if a motor is arranged only on one side of the bridging device, to couple the movement of the driven rail to adjacent rails via cross-balancing belts 43 or cross-balancing cords. Ideally, this coupling is such that it takes place on the opposite guide rail (the one arranged on the far right in FIG. 1), thereby ensuring that the sliding movement of the bridging plate 1 proceeds as parallel as possible. A simple possibility of arranging such cross-balancing belts involves, for example, arranging two drivers 44 in turn on the upper guide rail, one on the front edge and one on the rear edge. A cross-balancing belt is then fastened to the front driver 44, guided around the front deflection pulley shown on the right and guided upward to the right as far as the mirror-symmetrically arranged pair of guide pulleys 25 at the upper guide rail situated on the outside right. There, the cross-balancing belt is now guided via the rear deflection pulley to the rear driver 44 of the upper guide rail arranged on the far right and there fixedly connected to the upper guide rail. This can be understood best from FIG. 3, a plan view of a bridging device. In the representation shown in FIG. 3, the cross-balancing belt thus extends first from the left lower position of the driver 44 around the lower deflection pulley 25 on the left side, then completely to the right toward the upper deflection pulley 25 on the right side, and is then guided toward the rear driver 44 of the upper guide rail 11 arranged on the far right and fastened there. This compels the upper guide rail 11 arranged on the right to perform the exactly synchronous movement as the upper guide rail arranged on the far left. A corresponding arrangement of a second cross-balancing belt is possible by guiding it from the rear left driver 44 via the upper left deflection pulley to the lower right deflection pulley and to the front right driver 44. Hence, if both cross-balancing belts are arranged, they cross over one another in the central region of the bridging device.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show the bridging device in the retracted position (FIG. 4) and in the extended position (FIG. 5), in each case in a section in a vertical plane perpendicular to the direction of the platform edge, it being the case that different section planes have been used for FIGS. 4 and 5 in order to be able to represent different components. It can be observed in FIG. 4 that both the bridging plate 1 and the cover plate 26, which preferably has on its rear side a downwardly directed flange parallel to the rear wall 8, are provided with an upper-side coating 27 consisting of an insulating coating which is anti-slip (for example ribbed) toward the upper side. To electrically insulate the bridging device with respect to the rail vehicle and with respect to the platform, such an insulating coating can be used on all the regions which are exposed to the passengers, since it cannot be ruled out that the rail vehicle is at a different potential than the track region.

To provide stabilization particularly with respect to sagging, the bridge plate is provided on the lower inner side of the downwardly directed projection 2 with a stabilizer plate 28 which extends parallel to the platform edge. Furthermore, it can now be seen in this figure that the lower guide rail has a base plate 10 which is fastened to the base 9 of the housing by screws 31. Also fastened to the base 9 of the housing is the headpiece 29, which will be explained in more detail further below with reference to FIG. 6.

In order to be able to ensure a virtually automatic force-actuated locking of the bridging plate when the bridging plate is subjected to loading, the bridging plate 1 is designed so as to be able to tilt through a small angle with respect to the lower guide rail 6 about an axis perpendicular to the paper plane in FIG. 1. For this purpose, the linear ball bearing or linear roller bearing is arranged in such a way that the upper guide plate 37 is not rigidly and fixedly connected to the bridging plate 1, but such that there is provided between them a flexible construction at each of two positions which are offset in the direction of displacement. The construction involved here is specifically a spring plate 38 at the two positions. These two spring plates result in the bridging plate, when subjected to a loading as represented in FIG. 4 or FIG. 5, being able to tilt down easily in the clockwise direction (cf. arrow F). The effect of such a downward tilting movement will be explained further below in conjunction with FIG. 6.

FIG. 5 shows the extended position. It can also be seen how the application of a force F can bear from above (for example a passenger who is still standing on the bridging plate at the moment when it should be withdrawn). It can additionally be seen from FIG. 5 how the lower guide insert 32 of the linear ball bearing or linear roller bearing is fastened to the base plate 10 via screws 33.

The precise composition of the guide rail can be understood particularly clearly with the aid of FIG. 6. Here, there is represented a vertical section through the guide rail shown on the far left in FIGS. 1 and 2 in a direction parallel to the platform edge. It can be seen that the base plate 6 is fastened together with the headpiece 29 to the base 9 of the housing 3 via screws 31. Into this baseplate 6 from above is screwed the lower guide insert 32 into an elongate cutout in the headpiece 29 and in the base plate 6 using the screws 33. The lower guide insert 32, together with the upper guide insert 34 which is displaceable, forms the linear ball guide 36. The actual balls of this linear ball guide are not represented in FIG. 6; they are located in the channel 35 and can be provided either to be free or in a ball cage. This channel 35 is formed by corresponding elongate depressions in the upper guide insert 34 and in the lower guide insert 32.

The upper guide insert 34 is thus mounted displaceably with respect to the lower guide insert 32. However, the upper guide insert 34 is now only indirectly connected to the upper guide rail 11, specifically by the upper guide insert 34 first being fixedly connected to an upper guide plate 37. This upper guide plate 37 is now connected to the horizontal portion 40 of the upper guide rail 11 via the two offset spring plates 38, which can be seen particularly clearly in FIG. 4 for example. For this purpose, the spring plates 38 are screwed tightly onto the portion 40 by means of fastening screws 45. Examples of suitable spring plates 38 are plates made of metal (for example spring steel) having a thickness in the range of 0.4 mm-1.0 mm. The aforementioned virtually automatic force-actuated mechanism for locking the bridging plate when it is subjected to loading is ensured as follows. Between the base plate 10, which has an elongate depression on the outer lateral upper edges, and the wide headpiece 29 is formed a horizontal longitudinal groove 30. The two lateral inwardly directed horizontal ribs 42 of the bridging plate 1 engage in this horizontal longitudinal groove. In this arrangement, the thickness of the ribs 42 is only insignificantly smaller than the width of the horizontal longitudinal groove 30. If, by virtue of the mobility provided by the spring plates 38, the upper guide rail 11 now tilts about an axis, which in FIG. 6 is arranged horizontally and in the paper plane, the horizontal rib 42 presses on both sides at the front region onto the underlying surface of the horizontal longitudinal groove, and, at the rear end of the upper guide rail, the upper side of the horizontal ribs is pressed against the downwardly directed side wall of the horizontal longitudinal groove 30. Because of the length of the horizontal rib 42, the resulting frictional forces are large enough that the motor is no longer able to displace the bridging plate. If appropriate, it is even possible to coat the surface of the horizontal rib 42 and/or the two side walls of the horizontal longitudinal groove 30 with a friction-increasing material or to structure the surface appropriately (for example with teeth or ribs, etc.).

The specific design of the upper guide rail can be seen from FIG. 7. FIG. 7 a), a perspective representation of the upper guide rail, shows how this upper guide rail is constituted as a downwardly directed U-profile with the two inwardly directed horizontal ribs 42. The two spring plates 38 are provided on the horizontal portion 40 on the downwardly directed inner side of this profile, these two spring plates being fastened in the central region of the portion 40 via the screws 45, and both having, each to the front and rear, flexible bent-off portions at whose end they are then fastened to the upper guide plate 37 via screws. It can be seen particularly from FIG. 7 that it is advantageous to additionally provide a base plate 46 which is connected on both sides to the spring plate 38 at the downwardly directed end, for example via a solder point or the like. The spring plate 38 is then fastened, together with the base plate 46, to the upper guide plate 37.

List of Reference Numbers

1 Bridging plate

2 Downwardly directed projection on 1

3 Housing

4 Motor

5 Sliding strips

6 Lower guide rail

7 Side wall of 3

8 Rear wall of 3

9 Base of 3

10 Base plate of 6

11 Upper guide rail

12 Holes in 9

13 Upper side of 1

14 Underside of 1

15 Horizontal plate of 1

16 Front wall of 3

17 Fastening plate for 4

18 Holes for fastening cover plate to housing

19 Front driver on 11

20 Rear driver on 11

21 Front deflection pulley for toothed belt

22 Rear deflection pulley for toothed belt

23 Shaft of driving gearwheel

24 Worm drive

25 Deflection pulleys for cross-balancing

26 Cover plate

27 Coatings

28 Stabilizer plate

29 Headpiece of 6

30 Horizontal longitudinal groove in 6

31 Screw

32 Lower guide insert

33 Screw

34 Upper guide insert

35 Channel for balls of linear ball guide

36 Linear ball guide

37 Upper guide plate

38 Spring plate

39 Lateral reinforcement of 11

40 Horizontal portion of 11

41 Vertical portions of 11

42 Horizontal rib of 11

43 Cross-balancing belt

44 Driver for cross-balancing belt

45 Fastening screws of 40 on 38

46 Base plate of 38 

1-15. (canceled)
 16. A device for substantially bridging a gap between a carriage floor of a rail vehicle in a door region thereof and a platform, the device comprising a bridging plate for bridging the gap, wherein the bridging plate is mounted so as to be displaceable in a linear horizontal direction at least between a withdrawn position and an extended position, wherein in the withdrawn position the bridging plate does not bridge the gap or the bridging plate projects insubstantially beyond a front edge of the platform or a front edge of the rail vehicle, wherein in the extended position the bridging plate bridges the gap or projects substantially beyond the front edge of the platform or the front edge of the rail, wherein the bridging plate is displaceably mounted via at least two guide rails and the guide rails are linear ball guides or linear roller guides.
 17. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the bridging plate is displaceably mounted on the platform.
 18. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein each of the guide rails comprises a stationary lower guide rail and a movable upper guide rail connected to the bridging plate, and wherein for each guide rail, the upper guide rail is mounted with respect to the lower guide rail so as to tilt about a horizontal tilting axis arranged perpendicularly to the direction of displacement to such an extent that a force-actuated locking of the upper guide rail occurs when the bridging plate is subjected to loads from above having a minimum force within the range of a typical minimum weight force associated with that of passengers of the rail vehicle.
 19. The device as claimed in claim 18, wherein at least one spring element offset in the direction of displacement, is arranged between the upper guide rail and the lower guide rail.
 20. The device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the lower guide rail has at least one longitudinal groove extending in the direction of displacement, and wherein the upper guide rail has at least one horizontal rib at least partially engaged in the longitudinal groove, and wherein the force-actuated locking occurs as a result of the rib canting over in the longitudinal groove.
 21. The device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the lower guide rail has two longitudinal grooves open to the side in the horizontal direction, and the upper guide rail has two fibs extending inwardly in the horizontal direction.
 22. The device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the upper guide rail comprises a profiled region and an upper guide plate, wherein the guide plate is fixedly connected to an upper guide insert which, together with a lower guide insert which is fastened to the lower guide rail, forms the linear ball guide or linear roller guide, and wherein the guide plate is tiltably connected to a horizontal portion of the profiled region via two spring plates offset in the direction of displacement.
 23. The device as claimed in claim 16, further comprising at least two parallel guide rails for use with the bridging plate.
 24. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the bridging plate is driven via a toothed belt fastened by at least one driver to the bridging plate or to the upper guide rail.
 25. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the device is substantially box-shaped and is sized to be received into a recess in the platform or to be received into a recess in a region of the rail vehicle, or to be placed on the platform, wherein the height of the device is less than 70 mm.
 26. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the device has insulating coatings in surface regions of the device that are exposed to passengers of the rail vehicle.
 27. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the device comprises a housing having a base, lateral side walls, a rear wall and a front wall, wherein the guide rails are arranged in the housing, and further comprising a stationary cover plate arranged on a region facing the platform, or a region of the rail vehicle if the device is fastened to the rail vehicle, wherein under the cover plate the bridging plate substantially comes to lie in the withdrawn position, and wherein under the cover plate the bridging plate comes to lie in the extended position along a rear edge region of the bridging plate.
 28. The device as claimed in claim 27, wherein sliding elements are arranged in the rear edge region on the upper side of the bridging plate and slide on the downwardly directed face of the cover plate during the displacement of the bridging plate.
 29. The device as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a drive arranged to act on one guide rail.
 30. The device as claimed in claim 29, farther comprising means for coupling the movement of the driven guide rail to the movement of at least one further guide rail, wherein the at least one further guide rail is the opposite outermost guide rail in relation to the driven guide rail.
 31. The device as claimed in claim 18, further comprising two spring elements offset in the direction of displacement, wherein the spring elements are arranged between the upper guide rail and the lower guide rail, wherein the spring elements are spring plates.
 32. The device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the lower guide rail has two longitudinal grooves which open to the side in the horizontal direction, and the upper guide rail has two ribs extending inwardly in the horizontal direction, wherein the ribs each extend over at least half or up to substantially the whole length of the upper guide rail, or the ribs are each arranged in two substantially terminal portions of the upper guide rail.
 33. The device as claimed in claim 16, further comprising at least four parallel guide rails for use with the bridging plate.
 34. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the bridging plate is driven via a toothed belt fastened by at least one driver to the bridging plate or to the upper guide rail, wherein the toothed belt is fastened by two ends thereof to the bridging plate or to the upper guide rail and is coupled via at least one deflection pulley to a driving gearwheel of a motor.
 35. The device as claimed in claim 34, wherein the axis of the motor is arranged substantially horizontally and the shaft of the driving gearwheel driven via a worm gear, a crown wheel gear, or a planet gear, is arranged vertically.
 36. The device as claimed in claim 27, wherein sliding elements are arranged in the rear edge region on the upper side of the bridging plate and slide on the downwardly directed face of the cover plate during the displacement of the bridging plate, wherein the sliding elements are plastic strips or plastic ribs extending substantially over the whole width of the bridging plate.
 37. The device as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a drive arranged to act on one of the two outermost guide rails or on a centrally arranged guide rail. 